Lin Nuonuo still didn’t know that her split-second change of mind had allowed her to escape a disaster.
By now, she had already run into the front yard.
The moment she saw Lin Chen, whom she hadn’t seen for two days, her eyes lit up with joy.
Watching Lin Nuonuo rush over and grin like a little lunatic, Lin Chen felt completely baffled.
“You’re back!”
“Mm.” Lin Chen gave a vague response, his gaze landing on the dog in her arms as he casually asked, “Where did that dog come from?”
“It’s Lin Zixin’s dog from the backyard. Its name is Qiqi.” Lin Nuonuo answered.
Hearing that, Lin Chen paused for a few seconds, then coldly said, “You never learn.”
Taking Lin Zixin’s dog out to play? Did she feel she hadn’t been bullied by Lin Zixin enough?
“I didn’t……” She whispered in protest.
When Lin Chen walked past her toward the villa, Lin Nuonuo didn’t have time to think. She put the dog down and hurried after him.
She stopped him in the living room.
“What are you doing?” Lin Chen asked, baffled by the child blocking his way.
“Um……” After hesitating, she brought over a few workbooks and held them out. “This…… For you to look at.”
Her expression was identical to Lin Zixin’s whenever she showed off her certificates or report cards to Lin Zeyu and the others.
The only problem was that Lin Chen felt none of the emotions a father should feel.
When he saw the words 《Handwriting Practice Book》 on the cover Lin Nuonuo was offering, a muscle in his jaw twitched. He had already guessed what she wanted. She wanted him to check her homework?
Setting aside whether Lin Zeyu and his wife had ever intended to raise this child as a daughter, even if they did treat her as a young miss of the Lin family, he was still only her uncle, not her father.
And as her uncle, he had no obligation to check her homework.
He was about to walk away, but when he lowered his head, his gaze landed on her bright, expectant eyes.
The nervous anticipation shining in her eyes softened something inside him. So he took the workbook she held aloft and flipped through it perfunctorily.
She had already filled six or seven pages, every page packed from top to bottom. Her handwriting wasn’t good, and her strokes were stiff, but each character showed effort.
Overall, not impressive.
That was his honest judgment.
But when the words reached his lips, faced with her eager expression, he changed his mind and forced out, “Not bad.”
Hearing the praise, her face lit up with a radiant smile.
It was the first time her father praised her. Embarrassed, she whispered, “Thank you.”
Lin Chen shot her a speechless glance, handed the workbook back, and headed upstairs, leaving Lin Nuonuo grinning foolishly in the living room.
────ρя
Outside, Zhou Qiang had waited for a long time without seeing any trace of Lin Nuonuo. Growing impatient, he finally called Nanny Zhou.
“Where’s that kid you mentioned? I’ve been waiting forever out here, and not even a ghost has shown up.”
“The plan changed. Something unexpected happened……” Nanny Zhou lowered her voice.
Her original plan was simple— use the dog to lure Lin Nuonuo out, then have Zhou Qiang knock her out and take her away as soon as she came outside.
She had even deliberately skipped feeding Qiqi two meals so the dog would run straight toward Zhou Qiang when it smelled bones.
But who would’ve thought the tiny and skinny Lin Nuonuo could run so fast?
When the little girl caught the dog with ease, Nanny Zhou thought the plan was doomed, until Lin Nuonuo unexpectedly walked toward the gate by herself.
Just as hope rekindled, Lin Nuonuo suddenly turned around and ran back toward the front of the villa like she’d gone mad.
“Just don’t wait anymore……”
“Don’t wait? Are you messing with me? You told me to come get the kid. I wasted half a day, and now you tell me not to wait?” Zhou Qiang grumbled.
Hearing him complain, Nanny Zhou had no choice but to transfer another five hundred yuan to appease him. “Just go back to the rental place for now. Don’t get spotted. I’ll let you know later today or tomorrow.”
Even she wasn’t sure when the next opportunity would come.
Originally, with Lin Chaojiang, Lin Zeyu, and Gu Mingming all away, it had been the perfect time to take Lin Nuonuo. But who knew Lin Chen would come back at this exact moment?
Even though he didn’t care about the Lin family— or about Lin Nuonuo— Nanny Zhou still wouldn’t dare make a move under her employer’s nose.
────ρя
In truth, Lin Chen hadn’t planned to stay long. The filming schedule for 《Attending Physician》 had been finalized, and he had come home only to pack.
To avoid wasting time, he planned to stay on set until all his scenes were finished, so he packed enough luggage for ten days.
Lin Nuonuo knew nothing about it. When she saw him coming downstairs with a large suitcase, she instantly tensed up.
“Where are you going? Do you…… not……” not want me anymore?
She ran after him as he was about to leave.
But when she met his cold eyes, she didn’t dare finish the sentence.
“You’re not living here anymore?”
When he still didn’t respond, she asked again, “Are you running away from home?”
Could you take me with you?
Lin Chen: “……”
Her expression was so pitiful that it looked like she had swallowed bitter melon. His mouth twitched again.
He was just going to film……
And what did that have to do with her? With expressions that exaggerated, she should be acting instead.
He mocked her inwardly, then walked out without looking back.
Seeing him leave, Lin Nuonuo panicked and ran after him without a second thought.
Luckily, all the servants were busy, so no one noticed that after Lin Chen left, she slipped out too.
Outside the house, Lin Chen tossed his suitcase into the car.
Just as he was about to get in, his assistant called, saying there had been an issue and he couldn’t come pick him up.
“No need. I’ll go myself. Just get everything else ready.” Lin Chen instructed.
While he took the call, Lin Nuonuo sneaked in from the other side and climbed into the back of the car.
She curled herself into the space under the rear seat. When she heard him open the door and get in, she covered her mouth tightly, afraid to even breathe.
Fortunately, he didn’t notice her.
As the car drove away from the Lin family’s villa, her eyes gradually sparkled.
She didn’t know where he was going, but to her, staying by her father’s side was better than waiting for doom to fall on her in the Lin family’s house.
‘Even a tiger won’t harm its cub……’ She muttered in her heart.
Even if this father had a bad temper and wasn’t familiar with her yet, he wouldn’t let her die, right?
……
She didn’t know how long she had been hiding, but just as she was about to fall asleep, the car reached the outskirts of A City near the film studio.
Lin Chen parked in front of a hotel near the set. Without wasting a second, he locked the car and went inside to check in.
By the time he came back out, his assistant had finally arrived.
“Brother Chen, you’re already here! Sorry, there was traffic, that’s why I’m really late……” Zhang Qi rushed over, apologizing. But the truth was that he had been held up borrowing a car from the company.
“Brother Chen, I’ll go handle your check-in.” He offered.
“No need. It’s done.”
Zhang Qi: “……”
“Uh……” He gave an awkward laugh. “Then I’ll take your luggage to your room?”
“It’s already there.”
“Ah? Then……”
What else was left for him to do?
“Let’s go to the set.” Lin Chen said, checking the time. He glanced at Zhang Qi. “Did you arrange a car?”
“Yeah. The production didn’t provide one, so Brother Chen asked me to borrow one from the company.” He pointed at a plain van nearby.
Since Lin Chen wasn’t playing an important role, the production wouldn’t assign him a vehicle.
Lin Chen didn’t mind and walked toward it.
Watching Lin Chen walk ahead, Zhang Qi wiped his sweat awkwardly.
In his four years as Lin Chen’s assistant, there was probably no one in the entire entertainment circle who had an easier job.
Most assistants had responsibilities like half-a-nanny— managing schedules, food, lodging, everything.
Only his artist was different.
Outside of work, Lin Chen never needed him. Even during work, unless absolutely necessary, Lin Chen handled things himself.
Zhang Qi often felt more like a decorative sidekick than an actual assistant.
While he was silently reflecting on his job, Lin Chen reached the van and glanced back.
“Let’s go.”
“Oh, coming!” Zhang Qi hurried after him.
……
They quickly arrived at the filming set of《Attending Physician》.
The drama had already begun shooting last week. Since Lin Chen wasn’t a main cast member, he didn’t need to attend opening ceremonies. After greeting the crew and learning the basic situation, he went to prepare.
But just as he was about to change costumes, Zhang Qi walked over holding his phone.
“Brother Chen, you got a call.”
“Hang up.”
“I don’t think you can.” Zhang Qi said with a strange expression.
Lin Chen paused. “Who is it?”
Zhang Qi said, “Uh…… 110[1]emergency number for the police jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_1397388_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_1397388_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });……”
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